The Connect2 tray, designed and made in the UK by Kudos, boasts a truly unique feature. It was designed to avoid floor joists, ensuring it retains its super-low profile when installed.  Launched in a choice of grey slate effect, high gloss white or slip-resistant white, Kudos has now added its best-selling slate effect white colourway to the collection.

Connect2 trays stand at just 35mm in height, are guaranteed to avoid all standard joist sizes and spans thanks to the precise positioning of a unique offset dual waste outlet, allowing the installer to choose the waste clear from obstruction to connect.  The tray may need to be rotated to accommodate the fixed joists, but once set, the installer simply uses the blanking plug provided to seal the unused waste and plumb in the high-flow waste and trap, avoiding any need to lift the tray off the floor.  If both waste holes are free then both wastes can be connected for even faster water removal.  A re-inforced, magnetically secured waste cover, that’s easily removed for cleaning, then sits neatly over the plugs to complete the installation.

The Connect2 range of shower trays are manufactured in a acrylic capped ABS filled with a structural resin bonded stone for maximum strength and stability.  The collection offers 12 rectangular sizes from 800mm square to 1700x800mm plus four quadrant/offset quadrant options. Each comes complete with a high flow waste rated to 35 litres of water per minute, and is competitively priced.

Kudos has been designing and manufacturing shower products at its Cumbria facility since 1999. They understand the UK bathroom market and all its idiosyncrasies and endeavour to develop products with easy to install features. Their products are stocked with a number of regional distributors to ensure a reliable service and ease of availability and they offer a lifetime guarantee on their shower trays and a spares website giving a superior after sales service.

Now trading as RONAL Bathrooms UK Ltd, the Kudos portfolio includes shower enclosures, shower trays, over-bath screens, and wet-room solutions sold via KBB showrooms and merchants across the UK. Visit its website, kudosshowers.co.uk, call 01539 564040, or email info@kudosshowers.co.uk.

The post Kudos Connect2 tray now in slate white appeared first on PHPD Online.

KNIPEX has launched a new online learning hub built specifically for those starting out in the trades.

The KNIPEX SkillsForge gives apprentices free access to practical training content and tailored resources to help build skills, confidence and good working habits from day one.

To mark the launch, KNIPEX is giving away some of its top tools!

The KNIPEX ComStrip and KNIPEX Cobra 180 mm are perfect additions to an apprentice toolkit. The Cobra 180 mm offers push-button adjustment directly on the workpiece, fine adjustment and self-clamps on pipes and nuts for secure, effortless working. The ComStrip Automatic Insulation Stripper is an ideal entry-level tool, designed to strip solid, multi-stranded and finely stranded conductors quickly and reliably. Just sign up via the SkillsForge page and, once verified, you’ll be automatically entered into the draw. There are 20 KNIPEX ComStrips and 20 KNIPEX Cobra’s available and entrants can choose which tool they’d like to win when signing up.

With a clear focus on supporting apprentices, trainees and educators across electrical, plumbing and the construction industry, the SkillsForge hub brings together learning and opportunities in one dedicated space. Access is free and once signed up, users will receive a quarterly newsletter with updates highlighting new tutorials, upcoming giveaways and fresh resources as they are added.

Apprentices will find step-by-step tutorial videos led by KNIPEX product experts, focusing on correct tool selection, handling and application on site. The content is designed to reinforce good habits early and help build confidence with professional-grade tools.

Educators are also firmly in focus. SkillsForge includes resources to support classroom learning and training centre delivery, giving tutors practical material to demonstrate techniques and explain best practice. Built-in feedback surveys will allow KNIPEX to refine future content based on what apprentices and educators say they need.

By bringing learning, support and incentives together, the new SkillsForge reflects KNIPEX’s ongoing commitment to skills development and to supporting those at the very start of their careers.

To view the SkillsForge hub and enter the apprentice giveaway*, visit https://www.knipex.com/en-uk/KNIPEXSkillsForge

*Giveaway closes at 11:59pm on 31 March and is open UK residents aged 16 and over.

The post KNIPEX launches online learning hub for apprentices appeared first on PHPD Online.

Knightsbridge has expanded its core metal clad range with a powder coat textured black finish.

Designed to meet the practical demands of installers while satisfying the aesthetic expectations of lighting designers and architects, the new finish combines durability with a contemporary design aesthetic.

The black finish seamlessly integrates into the existing metal clad core range, ensuring compatibility and continuity, and allowing designers and specifiers to maintain design cues across existing and new installations.

The textured matt black surface has a sophisticated, tactile quality that enhances traditional metal clad accessories, making them suitable for design-conscious residential, commercial and hospitality environments. Matt black metal rockers and co-ordinated black inserts ensure a consistent, understated appearance while allowing accessories to be incorporated into modern interiors without compromising robustness.

For installers, the expanded range builds on the proven performance of the existing metal clad core portfolio. All products are manufactured from SPCC steel, supplied complete with back boxes where applicable. Features such as twin earth terminals, double pole switching options, neon indicators and pre-fitted fuses support straightforward fitting across a wide variety of applications. A comprehensive 25-year warranty further reinforces long-term confidence in the products.

For more information on the black metal clad rockers range, visit knightsbridge.co.uk

The post Things look black for Knightsbridge with metal clad additions appeared first on PHPD Online.

Leading supplier of fittings and valves for PE pipe, PLASSON UK, has unveiled its updated range of Below-Ground Manifolds, providing a dedicated, non-metallic solution for efficient external division of mains water pipe.

Compatible with standard-sized inspection chambers, the new Below-Ground Manifolds channel a single 63mm water mains into 4 or 6 individual 25mm outlets, each equipped with a stop tap and optional meter connection point.

Replacing the long-standing black manifolds phased out in March 2024, this next generation combines proven reliability with greater versatility, integrating seamlessly with PLASSON’s extensive portfolio of high-performance fittings, valves, and adaptors.

“Our goal wasn’t just to replace the black manifolds, but to respond to growing demand for efficient, non-metallic infrastructure in residential and commercial developments. The result is a refined, ready-to-use product that’s simpler to install, more adaptable, and connects directly to pipe on site,” said Adam Cafer, Technical Manager at PLASSON UK.

Fabricated in the UK, PLASSON’s Below-Ground Manifolds are supplied fully assembled and pressure-tested, arriving ready to install. This enables short lead times, eliminates the need for complex on-site assembly, and helps keep projects on time.

Key features and benefits include:

Non-metallic design: Lightweight, corrosion-resistant, and zero-lead

Multiple configurations: Available in 4 or 6-ports with optional meter connection

Arrives ready to install: Fully assembled and pressure tested (PN16)

Simple on-site fitting: Join to PE pipe on the inlet (63mm) and outlet (25mm)

Chamber-compatible: Fits into industry-standard inspection chambers

Reg 4 compliant: Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999

The new PLASSON Below-Ground Manifolds are available to order now. Find out more here.

The post PLASSON UK launches next-generation below-ground manifolds appeared first on PHPD Online.

Ohme discusses what housebuilders should look for in a home EV charging partner 

The latest new car sales figures have shown that sales of electric vehicle have risen by more than a third so far this year with at least one in five of all new cars leaving showrooms being electric. 2025 will end with the UK’s highest ever level of EV sales. 

That, combined with the Part S Building Regulations which arrived in June 2022 (and properly came into force from June 2023), mean that housebuilders have had to educate themselves fairly quickly on home EV chargers. 

All fairly straight-forward you might think, except that that the home EV charger market itself has been through lots of change in recent years. 

So what should a housebuilder be looking for when choosing a home EV charging partner to ensure they pick the right unit for the needs of both their customers and them? 

Buy cheap, pay twice 

All that matters is how much you’re paying for a charger and ensuring that price is as low as possible, right? Er, no. 

There’s no question that the unit price matters, that’s obvious, but there’s a whole load of other factors to consider too. 

“Housebuilders and developers obviously have lots of choice, but they need to choose a product that represents the best value for them both now and in the future,” explains Charlie Mainwaring, Head of Built Environment sales at Ohme, the UK’s largest home EV charging company. “They need a product that is price competitive, but developers should also be asking about ongoing customer support, access to a wide variety of energy tariffs and ease of use.” 

A fitting choice 

Not all EV chargers are created equally as far as electricians are concerned, so housebuilders should be considering a charger that’s easy to fit and commission. 

Ask about average fitting times and ensure that a charger is a ‘first fit’ solution. If an electrician can fit one extra charger per shift, that makes them more efficient and in turn brings cost savings to the electrical contractor. 

With a charger such the Ohme ePod favoured by the Vistry Group, the Hill Group and Tilia and Hopkins Homes, its chargers have a built-in SIM card, so they don’t require an existing wi-fi signal to connect. That means an electrician can visit, fit the charger, commission it and move on – a second visit isn’t required.

Probing the product 

And finally, of course, there’s the actual charger itself. A few years ago, home EV chargers were little more than glorified plug sockets, now they’re far more complex than that. Are they solar compatible? How user-friendly is the app to operate the charger? 

With the rise in EV new car sales too, house-buyers are now far more aware of what they’re looking for and far more demanding too. Home chargers not only need to be fully compliant with the latest regulations, they also need to allow customers to access any energy supplier. Ohme’s chargers are compatible with any energy supplier and the best value smart EV electricity tariffs on the market such as Intelligent Octopus Go. 

Fully-charging a Volkswagen ID.5 77kWh with Ohme on a dynamic tariff such as Intelligent Octopus Go could cost just £5.39. By comparison, the same charge on the standard tariff would cost £19.82 – more than three times more. 

Over the course of a year for a typical EV driver covering 6800 miles a year, that means paying £437.41 for 12 months of motoring compared to just £119 on Intelligent Octopus Go. The same mileage in an average petrol car would cost more than £1000. 

Enabling your customers to access tariffs such as Intelligent Octopus Go will be crucially important for them if not immediately, certainly in the future as more of the move into EVs. 

In summary then, just as EV chargers have adapted, so does the need for housebuilders to think about them in greater depth, what the chargers can do and how they can best serve their customers and themselves. 

For more information on Ohme click here.

The post What should housebuilders look for in a EV charging partner? appeared first on PHPD Online.

The iSense-Plus from Nuaire, part of the Genuit group, is a decentralised mechanical extract ventilation (dMEV) fan designed to provide Building Regulations compliant continuous background extract ventilation for new build residential properties. It acts as a cost effective alternative to whole house mechanical extract ventilation (MEV) systems.

For more information go to www.rdr.link/dbe045

The post Decentralised mechanical extract ventilation appeared first on PHPD Online.

The Ashurst colourway is the latest addition to Marley’s Acme Single Camber clay plain tile range.

Founded on the warmth and the character of clay, it helps to deliver a beautiful, rustic aesthetic for both traditional and contemporary low pitch roof designs and is complemented by a full range of Ashurst fittings, offering a complete solution for specifiers. Recently, the Acme Single Camber profile has been extended to include a Heritage clay tile range: perfect for those seeking durability and traditional aesthetic appeal.

For more information go to www.rdr.link/dbe046

The post Marley’s Acme Single Camber tile range appeared first on PHPD Online.

4K high-definition wood imaging is a feature of Talasey’s latest range of composite decking: Pioneer.

Through this imaging, every grain and texture is captured with ultra-precision, blending an incredibly realistic hardwood timber aesthetic with industry-leading board resilience and durability. The decking is engineered with woven fibreglass strands and bamboo to create a resistant, robust, reinforced, mixed core that resists softening, flexing, warping and impact.

For more information go to www.rdr.link/dbe047

The post Composite decking appeared first on PHPD Online.

With the increasing demand for air source heat pumps (ASHPs), Baxi is helping developers complete projects faster with the launch of its ASHP Pre-plumbed Cylinder.

With much of the pipework, fittings and wiring already in place installation times are reduced. The new cylinder is available in capacities of 170 to 300 litres whilst a compact footprint means it can be accommodated in an airing cupboard or smaller space.

For more information, go to www.rdr.link/dbe040

The post Pre-plumbed ASHP Cylinder appeared first on PHPD Online.

For housebuilders and developers, selecting the right roof covering involves balancing budgets, planning requirements and kerb appeal. Marley highlights the key considerations between clay and concrete. 

Appearance  

Modern clay and concrete tiles come in a wide range of profiles, colours and styles. Clay tiles deliver traditional charm, but there are also many concrete options that replicate this aesthetic. Additionally, large format flat concrete tiles can be provided in designs that give the appearance of natural slate. 

Location 

The choice of roofing material also plays a big role in how a building blends with its surroundings. Since roofs were traditionally made with local materials, homes in a specific region are more likely to have roof coverings made of a certain material. Matching this is often important. 

Cost-effectiveness 

Generally speaking, concrete roof tiles are often seen as the more cost-effective solution. However, machine-made clay tiles can actually offer a cost-effective solution. Traditional handmade clay tiles often come with a higher price tag due to the extra labour and time required to produce them. 

Durability and whole-life value 

Clay and concrete tiles deliver comparable performance, with an expected service life of around 60 years. Additionally, when installed as part of Marley’s full roof system, they are both backed by a 15-year warranty.   

Structural considerations  

Both clay and concrete roof tiles can offer satisfactory load performance. However, it’s important the appropriate structural calculations are carried out by the project’s Structural Engineer to ensure the roof structure is suitable to withstand the design loading conditions. 

Which material is right for your project? 

If planners favour vernacular charm, clay may be the natural choice. When volume cost efficiency is paramount, concrete offers robust performance and broad design flexibility. Whatever you choose, working with a single systems supplier ensures compatibility across underlay, battens, fittings and renewables. 

For more information, click here.

The post Roof tiles: clay vs concrete appeared first on PHPD Online.